Treasure Thaxton holds a bead just before entering the Ayers Children's Medical Center at Jackson General Hospital.(Photo: Submitted)

There are certain times of the year when helping people in the hospital and cheering them up is on the minds of many people. Those times tend to be around Thanksgiving or Christmas, but not usually Valentine’s Day.

Treasure Thaxton isn’t like most people though. The 14-year-old has gone with her family to Jackson General Hospital the past 13 Valentine’s Days to hand teddy bears out to children who spent the special day of love in the hospital.

“It’s something we decided to do when Treasure was young, and we didn’t have plans to do it a certain number of times,” said Treasure’s mother, Tierra. “We just started doing it, and we’re still doing it.”

The family added Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis to their annual tradition in recent years.

“Treasure has always loved doing this,” Tierra Thaxton said. “She told us (Wednesday) when we were going through there that she wanted to keep doing it until she was our age.”

The event has always been a family affair. Greg Thaxton is Tierra’s husband and Treasure’s father, and the couple’s son, 12-year-old Gregory has proclaimed himself CEO of the effort.

“He does a good job pushing the cart with the bears, so we let him be the CEO,” Tierra Thaxton said.

Gregory Thaxton pushes a cart of teddy bears down the hospital hallway on Wednesday.(Photo: Submitted)

The tradition started as a way to give back by Tierra and Greg.

“We tried and prayed for a child for 10 years before Treasure finally came along,” Tierra Thaxton said. “And when she did, we felt it’s right to do something to give back.

“Treasure had a rough start to life because she was born very premature at 27 weeks. She weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces, had lots of medical issues including two holes in her heart, fluid in her lungs, fluid on her brain and little to no muscle mass. We spent a lot of time in the hospital, so we know what it’s like to be stuck in there. We wanted to reach out to those who are in there and send love to them on a day that everybody talks about love.”

Tierra Thaxton (left) and Greg Thaxton (right) stop for a picture with their daughter, Treasure, and a table full of bears on Wednesday.(Photo: Submitted)

The family delivered bears that were soon accompanied by excited smiles from those receiving the bears.

“There was one little boy that was excited when we came in, and we came back to him later, and he lit up all over again,” Tierra Thaxton said. “And those smiles are why we do it.”

A group of local businesses sponsor the efforts so the monetary cost to the Thaxton family is minimal to deliver the bears.

“We appreciate all the help and support we’ve received over the years, and anyone who wants to help out can do so all year,” Tierra Thaxton said. “We’ve got a fund set up as part of the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, and people can donate to that.”

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com or at 731-425-9751. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.

Treasure Thaxton makes a stop to talk with a hospital employee before delivering more bears.(Photo: Submitted)